DETAILS
- Discipline
NH: ZOOLOGY: INVERTEBRATES: CHELICERATES (SPIDERS, SCORPIONS, TICKS, HORSESHOE CRABS)
- Scientific Name
Limulus polyphemus
- Common Name
Horseshoe Crab
- Form
wet preserved
- Description
-
The horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is an ancient type of arthropod that has hardly changed in millions of years. Despite the common name it is more closely related to scorpions than to crabs.
This species is found on the east coast of America where, at the right time of year, they emerge from the depths to lay eggs on the beaches. They can number in the thousands.
This jar contains several specimens showing the different growth stages of the horseshoe crab. After a brief larval stage the young animals look like miniature adults very quickly. They need to moult to grow and can shed their shells many times to reach maturity. A full grown female can be around 60 centimetres long. - ID Number
1903.142.j
- Location
In storage
- Terms